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Ampullaria have some of the most unique looking pitchers in the entire genus - like a nest of yawning eggs! I am so excited to add this incredible plant to my collection.
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Immature Nepenthes don't show the characteristics of mature pitchers for several years. August 2020
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Settled in and pitchering profusely! September 2020
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From Borneo Exotics: "This clone has the pitcher body colouration of N. ampullaria ‘Harlequin’ but with a peristome that is mostly a striking lime-green. Out of 157 clones introduced into microprop of a cross between N. ampullaria ‘ Brunei red’ and N. ampullaria ‘Harlequin’ this was easily the most interesting result. We’ve given it the cultivar name N. ampullaria ‘Lime Twist’."
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Starting to look more ampy! October 2020
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SO HAIRY!! I love hairy little pitchers! October 2020
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Although Nepenthes ampullaria are grouped with "carnivorous plants", they may not be carnivorous at all! The tiny upward turning lids on mature pitchers do nothing to inhibit water and debris from falling into the pitchers, and in fact a study on ampullaria determined that wild plants growing under forest canopy obtained about 35.7% of their foliar nitrogen from plant detritus rather than insect or animal sources. Regardless of their questionable diet, these classic lowland Nepenthes are incredibly beautiful and come in many color varieties!
New pitchers starting to look more ampy! Love the recessed peristome. November 2020
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Contrast getting better and better! November 2020
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Another unique trait of ampullaria is the persistence the ground or lower pitchers, even when the plant starts to climb in its vining stages. Lower pitchers will spontaneously form clumps along the climbing vine. True upper pitchers are extremely rare! Brad's Greenhouse was able to document an extremely tiny true ampullaria upper pitcher, but only after the plant climbed over 14 feet into the rafters of his greenhouse! See it at 6:38 in this video!
I obtained my 'Lime Twist' as a "medium" plant from Carnivero in August 2020. I find that plants that are shipped bare root have a much longer acclimation period than those that are shipped potted. I'm just glad that it survived shipping through one of the worst heat waves the Bay Area ever had! I started seeing new growth and renewed pitcher production about a month after I received it. Young plants don't show many of the mature pitcher characteristics, such as shape and color. Mine is starting to show the characteristic deeper and rounder pitcher opening, but still has its baby wings and the cute little fuzzy hairs (indumentum) on its head.
October 2022
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This plant is incredible vigorous and has amazing color! Even growing in warm-intermediate conditions, the pitcher production is very fast. I love how the basals look like a bunch of eggs at the base of the plant - barely any leaves and big pitchers! I just removed some basals so hopefully more come up.
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Current Growing Conditions:
Warm Intermediate Growing Chamber Light: Mars Hydro TSL 2000 LED Grow Light Humidity: ~90% constant (mist ~30 s every 2 hrs) Temperature: ~65F night and 80-85F day Water: Moist but not wet Potting Mix: 50% long fibered sphagnum moss 50% perlite Fertilizer: MaxSea (1/4 tsp/gallon) every other week into pitchers and lightly spray leaves Additional Notes: Vigorous grower! |
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